Loz: Bonds of Hope
by FulfilledHope
Summary: A retired hero rests in green pastures ten years after the end of the calamity. With the tone of peace being shaken by an ominous force, he is caught in the middle of destiny and a legendary evil desperately determined to get their revenge on Hyrule.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: As of right now, this story is still in a major developing stage and may be edited later in the future. However, I still hope you enjoy this piece of work I have given with you. _

The fresh morning sky was lit up with a colorful pallet of a sunrise painting. The streaks of orange, yellow and pink drifted across the sky as if an artist stroked a canvas with these precious colors. The sun peaked over the jungle mountains, sunrays peaking through the cracks and crevices of forest and jungle. Across the early morning fields of soft grasslands and forests was a small, sleepy village. Within this village, a small group of people were already awake and up by the morning. The caws of a rooster echoed throughout the hillside village as people struggled to stay asleep. Those who attended farms and stables peacefully awoke, got ready for the day and traveled out of their homes to see their crops and cattle.

One of those who woke up had briefly opened the back door of their home, shutting it before walking up toward their pasture of crops. As a clean, soft hand brushed off a feather from the shoulder of a dark blue tunic. The young man in this tunic briefly glanced up to the sky, noticing the dark figure of a bird soar to his left, heading straight for a tower that overlooked the peaceful grasslands of Hyrule. His eyes glistened with the memories of his past as his feet picked themselves up. He walked for a long time before finally standing atop a hill's blade edge and sat down. When he sat down, he bent his legs and rested his elbows against his knees, hunching over and staring at the morning sunrise for a brief while. His hair brushed his face, ears and neck while being pushed by the soft and cool wind of the morning.

The morning sunrise was simply a joy to see; how the colors of the eternally bright flame represented the calmness and meaning of life's splendor. As the man watch in a loud silence, another figure came walking up the same path he did. The figure was a taller, older and more muscular type of man with a broad walk that said it all. While he went on, the silent viewer ignored his approach to better view the sunrise of the morning. When the two came close together, the viewer looked up at the man.

"Young Korici, still looking out to the horizon I see?"

The young man glanced back up at the man before responding," Yes, father, I am. It is always pleasant to watch in the morning."

"Harvest is today you still know, yes?"

"I haven't forgotten." An undertone of disappointment was ominous from Korici.

"We have much work to do and I insist we get started as soon as possible so that it will not be as long and boring as you anticipate it to be." His father argued. Korici simply nodded, his eyes sleepily squinting out to the horizon once more while his sweet memories of life faded away from his father's presence. Minutes later, the man climbed up from the grass and marched toward the village.

It was late in the morning, and the village was now awake. Farmers tended their crops and cattle as usual, the town guards patrolling and chatting with the townsfolk as normal and the quirky members of the village doing their own thing. Korici and his father got into the middle of things, travelers on horseback galloping through while citizens delivered apples and sugar to the small market near the entrance into town. An apprentice slipped between Korici, carrying mental in her arms as she climbed up one of the various hills to the blacksmith. It was a brand-new day, a day to be alive and happy for the things given to you. It had almost seemed like everybody was having a good morning; those who understood what work was for did it with a passion. Although this place was small, cramped and full of farmland, yet for Korici it was still home.

Korici was a retired and young soldier, full of strength and determination thanks to his time in the military. Every week he would visit the markets and purchase food and ingredients to cook with his father, who was perhaps the most important figure to him and best friend. It was after the calamity, rebuilding of Hyrule and survival of the revival that brought him and his father closer. Kori and his mother were on much different, bitter terms. Nevertheless, Korici enjoyed his time watching the sunrise and sunset over the happy and perfect childhood village he ever so grew up in. There when he was a child, he watched his friends grow up and his adult friends grow elderly, fought alongside his sister and brother hylians and reclaimed the beloved lands of Hyrule which were pillaged and scarred by the endless hordes of monsters and Yiga Clan who solemnly swore to evil and destruction. To the village, he was a young and respectable man who was not only patriotic but blessed with Hylia's watch. Today was going to be a change in his life, something he would never forget if he grew older.

The day went on as Korici worked to prepare with his father. He had sat down next to a river and brought a small piece of a shattered mirror while having a small knife with him. After an extended amount of time and effort, Kori admired his clean and shaven face. His long hair had been tied in a small bun, pulled back to symbolize his preparation for work. When he was completed, the man dipped his knife in the water and retreated inside his home; It was time. Once he had put away his things, he briefly approached a shed in the back and observed the tools and belongings that were gathering dust. His father came from the back, lighting the candle inside to better light up the darkest of spots and observed in silence. "Would you like the corn or the wheat field?" His father asked.

"I will take the sickle for the wheat field." At first, he was hesitant, but picked it up and began to walk on, nonetheless. As he passed his father, he pulled out a waterskin he had pocketed and opened it. He took a drink of water, embracing the cold and refreshing taste before closing it back up and moving on. He moved through the corn stalks, following a narrow dirt path across the field and hugged an old wooden fence path. To his left, a large open field of wheat awaited him. With a grin on his face and his bangs blowing in the afternoon wind, he picked up the basket that sat next to a post and got to work.

It was a slow, wholesome process that lasted the entirety of the day. Due to his procrastination, he knew he could not accomplish this task in one day, but multiple. With his hand gripping the sickle, he squinted for a moment before he rushed back inside the home to gather an important accessory he needed. When Korici rushed upstairs and into his bedroom, he got down on his knees and bent over, diving underneath the bed and pulling out a box. As he opened the lid, he saw his fresh military uniform. There were miniature spots of rust beginning to form on the metal shoulder pads, implying that he would need to buff out and polish his armor. As he dug in the armor, he pulled out two gauntlets, fit for his hands. He briefly slid them on, tightening them to a comfortable grip and finally picked up the sickle.

When he returned to the field, he had passed his father who had already started gathering corn in his own basket. Korici began his honest work, cutting away at the wheat and picking up what fell on the ground. With the wind blowing and the clouds dispersed, it felt calming and relaxing. Truly, it was a day which felt peacefully balanced with Korici. The work seemed easy, mild and decent. While he was doing the same action at the same time, the feeling of comfort never went away but the boredom had kicked in nearly thirty minutes into the work. His thoughts began to entertain and take over his mind.

While he was working, he couldn't help but stop and stare at the distance where that tower was. The sun reflected off the tower that created a shadow that stretched deep into the jungles and mountains to the south. In this landscape, perhaps out of a painting, the mountains formed a path that went down and then up into the village. On that path, Korici spotted a rather large group moving at a speed that was faster than a usual caravan. He stopped and stared, wiping the sweat from his brow and taking a split second to break away from the work he endured and passionately made love to. His technique was precise, swiping and cutting quickly at the wheat and then tenderly picking it up and planting it within his basket. Nevertheless, his attention was focused on the strange and larger activity that usual. After a minute of travel, they were nearly down the mountain in the divot that looped back up before splitting in two. One section slowed down and the other triumphantly sped up. At a closer view, Korici could see blue and red banners and streamers of a cavalry wave patriotically in the summer wind.

Korici recognized them immediately but dismissed the arrival. The thing he questioned the most was that there was a significant number of streamers and cavalry, perhaps an entire regiment of men. It was unusual, but the thought and appearance interfered with important time, perhaps even making his father even upset with him. The day went on, and another thirty minutes passed by before the sounds of cavalry and trumpets blaring alerted everybody to stop what they were doing. His father had even stopped, about a third done with his crops and glanced over. His head spun around to see him, motioning him to stop and approach. Korici, puzzled and scared, held his things to his side and rushed in.

Some of the towns people gathered around to a patriotic hylians who had worn different colors of the standard hylian military, signifying a higher rank than most. He withdrew a scroll from a pouch next to his saddle and began to speak out loud.

"By the order of her royal highness herself, we are hereby to be stationed within the walls of this humble village! Any refusal or resistance of this order shall be quickly silenced by either a fine of five thousand rupees or a public arrest! Thank you." As the man continued to shout, some people looked confused while others displeased. As he spoke, men on horses galloped through the town and began to climb the slopes up to the Hateno Tech Lab. One thing was for sure: something was no longer warm or welcoming. A rather certain loudmouth chose to speak up once he was done by shouting, "Why exactly have you come to Hateno?! Is there a prominent threat!" The man within the vibrant armor closed the scroll and stated aloud, "My friends, citizens, brothers and sisters, we are at the midst of a civil war."


	2. Chapter 2

Among the round table was a bunch of brothers. They smiled and cheered and cried and laughed and drank their ale and shared their memories of their old times together. Tales of the old and forgotten years that passed were shared through stories and questions. The atmosphere of the side room was a warm feeling. Korici and a handful of other veterans of the fight against the calamity had warm, happy bellies of ale while the candles and lanterns around them dimmed the lights to a bright orange glow. The faint sound of a storm had blown over in the night's gentle approach. The windows had been pelted with rain, the foggy windows blinded by the darkness and fog of the night. With a tear of humor shed, a man wiped away his tear and chuckled.

"She was a fine lass indeed. When I came home, oh how she was so happy to see me back. I will never forget that day." The man's voice faded from a happy and distant tone to a vivid and faded one. "Those days are gone now, I'm afraid. Sometimes you just need to move on in life and never forget those who lifted you up on their shoulders and took the time out of their day to support you." After he finished his phrase, another raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder. "That is the morale I had during my time. I knew I would get to see my family again if I wasn't scared. Sometimes you need to get through the bad in order to see the good." Those words highlighted to Korici. As he had been listening with a silent grin on his face, he swirled his ale in the mug a little until he stopped and looked up. Everybody had been listening, equally all happy and just glad to grab a drink with some buddies they hadn't seen in a long time.

"We all have one thing in common here." Korici chimed in. They all moved their eyes on him, which caused a small sense of anxiety for a second. "We've all been through some rough times, but we all got to see a good sense of relief when we got back from the siege and battles." Korici said. A few nodded until one perked up. "What extra battles? Were you one of the ones who had to stay behind in the castle and fight?" He asked. Korici nodded, taking a swig and slamming it down on the wooden table. "You mean to tell me you were apart of the one hundred and four who survived the attacks?" Another was shocked. Korici looked to him and nodded.

"Tell us how you lived. There is no way you were apart of the hundred and four."

A faint memory had triggered in the back of Korici's mind. He stared at the table for a moment before introducing himself back into the past. It was a much younger Korici, perhaps even too young. He had hidden between two bushes, holding nothing but a short sword and a dagger while staring out into the open field that lead to the main entrance of the town area of the castle. In the field, a horde of nothing but darkness in the evening sunset dragged across the field at an incredible speed. From within the castle on the right, streaks of light soared through the sky as it clashed and expanded into the horde itself. The dead and injured went flying through the evening sky as soldiers at the front gate screamed to close the gate while firing the last bit of arrows as a defense. The boy within the bushes stared in silence, trembling in his heavy armor as he watched it go on.

He noticed that one monster was approaching this way, including about a handful to scout out the area. Korici's eyes had widened as he quickly pulled back and scurried toward a hidden and dark area. Two soldiers were huddling together while waiting for something. When they spotted him coming back, he leaped out and approached. "How many did you see?" He placed a hand on Korici's shoulder.

The boy simply replied," Nine. If we all can take three out, it is an easy victory." The man looked frustrated, suddenly glancing up quickly to notice who was coming and how fast they were coming. "Kid, get to the trees. Shei and I will take the bushes." He ordered in a hushed tone. Korici nodded, rushing toward the nearest tree and running up so high that his heavy armor was not an obstacle. Latching onto two branches, he scraped at the wood and got into the tree before glancing at where the squadron of monsters were heading. His breath grew short and his hands sweaty, slipping to keep his sword and knife in hand. His eyes widened at the sight of such horrendous creatures. It was the thought that the mix of hylian, pig and goblin simply could not come to be. Hylians and lizards were never meant to be made either. As they approached the bushes where Kori's comrades were in, he could not help but stare in silence and wait for a perfect moment. A lizafos, humanoid lizard monster, had stationed itself underneath the tree Kori was in and looked around.

For a moment, Kori grew scared. He thought to himself how he was going to plan this out but swallowed his pain. Peaking back down he noticed that the soldier Shei leaped out and struck a monster down instantly. Korici, anxious and terrified, leaped out of the tree and shrieked as loudly as he could. His knife swept down, penetrated between the head and chest of the lizafos as it made a shrill shriek. He hit a lucky spot, causing the monster to choke out blood and collapse into the grass. The squad was terrified and confused, breaking position and quite possibly running away. With a step forward and a clean swipe, the throat of another lizafos had been sliced open. It gagged too as it fell on its knees, begging for oxygen and crawling toward Korici. Staring at the two monsters who were dying in front of him, he looked up to see his count of a foe.

Through the chaos, the other two soldiers seemed to be efficiently wiping them out as well. A bokoblin, humanoid goblin pig, stared at Korici while he stood there in the open. Kori's eyes locked into the eyes of the beholder and gripping his bloody sword he heroically charged to face the enemy. The bokoblin, terrified for its life, had shivered and held a wooden club up to its face for protection as it took a few steps back. Korici leaped into the air yet again, continuing to scream as he raised his mighty short sword for one and final legendary sweep that would break the bokoblin's will to live.

The group cheered quietly at Korici's reliving of the moment and patted his shoulders after the last word had escaped his soft lips. He blinked, rubbing his fresh face and staring at the table in silence before looking up. His vision went hazy as he grabbed his head and blinked. "Are we...are we safe?" Korici urged. Their cheering got confused as they watched him grow anxious. "We're fine. Everything is fine, buddy." One spoke and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. The memory slowly began to fade as Korici attempted at taking another drink to get it off his mind. He thought he was beginning to get just a little bit drunk in the process.

As they all continued to sit around and talk about their experiences with the military, there was a hard and heavy knock at the door. They all glanced up, staring at the door before one got up and chose to open it. As the door swung open, the smug face of the high-ranking general dampened the moods of what the atmosphere was. The rain was pouring harder as he stepped inside and looked around. "Look at this! How shameful it is to see such men enjoying themselves at a time like this! Your departure is very soon, yet you all sit around and talk about your lives out of a true man's purpose?" He scoffed as his heeled boots locked into place. One soldier, who happened to be a bit more drunk than the rest, climbed up. "It is in every Hateno blood hylian to drink on their last days before heading out. I had my first drink seven years ago in this very seat right here, and you should too." His words sounded slightly slurred as he grabbed an extra mug and slung it up while hunched over the table. Everybody simply stared in silence at him.

The captain, twirling his curly mustache, squinted. "Although it is not appropriate to drink at a time like this, I won't mind having simply just a mug." He snatched the thing, raised it up to his beard and began to drink. Chug after chug, the soldiers stared and watched before one slowly started chanting aloud "Chug! Chug! Chug!" while taking his own drink. The whole table did it, including Korici, until the captain slammed his mug down onto the table with a smirk on his face. Everybody cheered aloud before toasting their own drinks and taking a swig. "Hateno soldiers have always been burdensome; I now understand why." He said sarcastically and invited himself into the table.

All the men looked at him before Korici decided to chime in again. "Captain, why exactly are you here during our time where we get ready to leave again and say goodbye to our loved ones?" He asked.

"I haven't given you or the others your briefing." The captain coughed in his arm. "All of you have been specifically ordered to go the main Tabantha outpost, near the tower."

"What awaits us in Tabantha?"

"We're told that the outpost was invaded by a yiga force greater than what they've ever seen. We only got the news in the Rito Village when a survivor came riding on horseback bleeding out." The captain's tone grew dark, even menacing. All soldiers looked at each other in a daze while Korici was listening in professionally.

"What else did this soldier mention?" Korici asked. The captain swiftly replied," They claimed that these soldiers were allied with the Gerudo and even some of our own men. They were 'immune' to any attack and craved bloodshed."

To Korici, the Gerudo were a foreign race which lived in the desert on the south west of the continent. They were tall, beefy women who never let men enter their capital. Tales of these women passed on to him about how they were a race made by a god, rulers of the sands and masters of taming any animal or creature. As for the comment about fellow soldiers, Korici did not understand and comprehend it all too well. "Immune, sir?" A man piped up.

The captain looked to the man," The tale of the survivor will be passed on to you all. He was forced to stab another soldier, but the soldier continued to fight with a sword lodged in his chest." A face of fear flushed everyone. "You all will set out with a company to investigate and abolish this threat if it is still eminent in the area to re-support the front lines of the Rito Village. Rumor has it that a path to the Yiga Clan hideout faces of the direction of the Tabantha Region. We suspect that is where they came from."

Korici, worried and afraid, looked up at the captain. "Will you be coming with us?" He asked. The captain held up a hand and shook his head. "You will be led by a soldier named Nara; a Rito with a yellow strap of the flag." He ordered.

With the face of concern and thoughts to scramble his mind, Korici nodded and bid the captain farewell. The night progressed further until the men agreed to say goodnight to one another and prepare for the days to come. Korici simply bit them all goodnight too and fought the midnight rain to reach his home, where he would change his clothes into something more comfortable and sleep in them. Filled with guilt and fear, Korici buried his face in his hands and trembled in the faded moonlight of the storm. His dreams were shattered and his mind: corrupt by the battlefield.


	3. Chapter 3

The evening wind gently blew through the sky, pushing the darkened clouds across the open and freshly lit sky of the evening. The moonlight had reflected through the trees, into the lands and into the mountains with an ominously strange aura and smile. Out of the darkness of the night, there was a bright and welcoming glow coming from the sloped village of Hateno. Candles, lanterns and the blue flames danced a tango of blue and orange to light up the night. All around, the village was about. It was not because of evening work, but because of the festival. People gathered in the middle of towns, the tavern, stables and other homes to share and drink and to have a good time while in the middle of harvest. A band inside the tavern consisting of citizens were playing and tapping their feet, singing folk songs and tales of old and drinking ale. Far above the slopes of Hateno, near the lab, a group of men were simply standing outside in the warm fall weather and enjoying their own drinks. They were all dressed and suited in their hylian armor, waiting for something. The last one shambling out of the lab, which was Korici, happened to be mildly content while the others had braced themselves through that same cool evening wind.

He watched them all as he walked out, followed by a tiny woman and a rather beefy and tall man. "You all just look so perfect in your own little outfits!" She squeaked and jumped up a foot in the air. One shyly grinned while taking off his helmet to hold it at his side and nod. "Everybody has their own device, correct? Don't lose it! These are specially made and took a lot of time and effort to make!" Her tone quickly shifted from a concerned one to a rather angrily grateful one. One had an ancient bow, another an ancient shield, one an ancient short-sword, another with a quarrel of ancient arrows and Korici: a sheikah slate. Everybody held their new tech at their sides, dedicated to everyone's specialty. "Remember, you all are my little guinea pigs! Write and tell me about what happens with those! I wish you all a safe travel!" The girl winked and started to wave.

As they all began to walk down the slopes together, they waved back and then would go about. "I'm probably going to miss this place while we're out." One chirped. The other chimed in,"Lets hope it isn't a long war or trip of where we're going. If it's a civil war, I'd like to know who we're up against."

"We don't know who we're fighting?" Korici asked.

"No, I'm afraid not. The captain said something but at the same time nothing."

"He's pretty stupid anyways. Trusting him with defending this little place is practically an insult by Princess Zelda." A soldier said.

"You're not wrong, but our village isn't the worst one around."

"It might as well be, really." Another said.

"My point is, where we're going is who we're up against. Maybe there was a revolt or the Gerudo were just sick of us?" The one leading the conversation said.

"I don't really know. Maybe it's the yiga clan like the captain said." Korici stated.

"Why does the yiga clan disguise themselves as hylians and gerudo?"

"They don't disguise themselves as hylians and gerudo, they _are_ hylians and gerudo. My uncle was a yiga clan member who was killed because my father and I found out." One said.

"I know that. There are many tales of betrayal and tragedy. I simply don't understand why you would join the side of Ganondorf anyw-"

"Woah, it's he who must not be named." One interrupted.

The conversation as they were going downhill progressed into petty arguing and talking about conspiracies among their fellow men and women in the world. Korici had stranded off from the conversation and simply gazed out to the evening skies. They were just approaching the edge of where the village began before Korici noticed something out of the ordinary. As he stared out to the snowy mountains and hills, just outside and above the village, a glimpse caught his eye. Standing between two trees, the shadow of a figure with two microscopic yellow eyes stared.

Korici stopped as they went on, turning to face the figure and see them closely. They were close enough to be standing there and holding something, but then slowly turned away and climbed down the snowy mountains the opposite direction. Korici, overwhelmed with an ominous fear and anxiety, continued to stare as if this mysterious figure continued to stand there and watch him. He felt as if he was the only one being stared at, being excluded from everything around him.

"Kori?"

The familiar tone of one of the soldiers reached out to him as it echoed in his mind. He quickly turned to face the man who called to his name, which he responded with a serious look and a wave of the hand, and began to walk behind them. "Are you okay? You zoned out and looked nervous for a second." He exclaimed and patted his shoulder piece. Korici nodded before lying,"I'm fine; I was just thinking about what we're up against." The other soldier smiled and carried his helmet by his side before boldly saying,"It's okay. We all can get through this together; we're brothers." Korici smiled and looked at him before walking on to join the rest of the group. Deep down inside, through the warm and comforted smile, there was a scared boy not ready for what was to come.

As the group of soldiers marched down to join the festivities, there happened to be quite a spur of activity. While the civilians and soldiers on their break danced, socialized and had a nice time, a significant amount of men were working below the village. They seemed to be gathering stone bricks and slapping them together to make a beginning line for a wall. There were men also taking wood and creating a wooden gate while combining it with scrap metal that was laying out in a pile just to be worked with. The captain was surveying as usual, watching the men work hard and didn't even bother to help.

The five soldiers looked down at the workers and captain, snickering and quietly mocking the captain like a bunch of little kids. The captain, to these men, were not respectable in any way. It seemed that they were fortifying the only solid entrance into the village, which was indeed a shame. Aside from the harvest festival, war would still remain inevitable to any sort of happiness or joy spread this evening. Korici, without a second thought, ditched his group and chose to go inside the tavern. When he stepped inside, the entire place was crowded with people. Not a single child except for the bartender's son was present, even then only helping by washing mugs and glasses.

A waitress squeezed past Korici and shouted respectably," Pardon me, darling!" Korici, pressed up against the chair of another man, felt cramped already. Seats in tables were full and people were standing up against the walls to stay out of the way while the band was still putting on a show. He glanced around before the shout of a drunk grabbed his attention. "Get me another ale I said!" A slurred and deep voice shouted from one of the bar stools. The bartender said,"Sorry, I can't give you anymore this evening." Korici recognized the drunk as his father, displeased with the lack of alcohol he was receiving. With an upset look on his face, he approached with a somewhat happy smile and placed his arms on his dad's shoulders. "Hey Father, come on." Korici peacefully urged and had actually got him to get out of his seat. His hairy, muscular arm wrapped around his boy's armor as he waved a hand at the bartender and huffed before laughing just a tad bit. "You've had a bit too many drinks this evening, father." Korici said and was carrying him out of the house.

His father waved his hand,"Nonsense! Another to fill would be perfect! I-" He grew a bit anxious and held a hand up to his mouth. Korici helped his dad over to the side off somewhere and let him puke. Korici was patting his back and helping him go through it. The smell was awful, alcohol overwhelming Korici as he coughed and huffed a few times while looking away. After waiting a few more minutes, his father had shaken his head and grabbed it. "Perhaps you're right, Korici. I need to sit down for a little while, maybe take a nap." His heavy, alcohol drenched breath moved onto Korici as he sweat nervously. Occasional giggles and laughs came from his father, excited and happy about the festival.

When they finally reached the house, Korici helped his dad kick off his shoes and carry him up the stairs. He was very difficult to carry, but with Korici's raw strength from his dad it was not that hard to carry him. When he finally reached his father's bedroom, Korici threw the blankets over and gently pushed his dad down onto his bed. "You get some rest father." Korici said and then watched his dad smile and huddle up against the bed. A bit overwhelmed by what was to come tomorrow, Korici approached his dad and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be seeing you in a long time, father. We will be leaving early tomorrow." Korici coughed and then patted his dad on the shoulder. "You have a good night, Korici. Stay safe, you hear?" His dad replied and hiccuped while cuddled up in bed. Kori stared at his father for a moment before approaching the candle next to him and blowing out the light. With the warm glow and moonlight shining in on his father in the darkness, Korici made one final look half lit up before turning his back and walking out of the room.

While he was inside his house, he approached his room and checked all of the supplies he was going to carry with him. After a long check, he decided to go check up on the fun but bring his broadsword with him. Within a scabbard that had the triforce sealed on it, he wrapped it on his right side and began to walk out. While he was out, he happened to notice the festivities going on. There was a particular ballad that was playing, causing one of the soldiers to dance with a lass he happened to like at the time. Korici stared in silence for a moment while the others did too, not quite understanding why he was. For a minute, a sense of joy overwhelmed him for his friend, but at the same time an ominous sadness did as well. His eyes darted over to his buddies and approached while they were dancing.

"Are you looking to work for a family yet, Kori?" The closest one asked.

"Why do you need to know?"

"Just curious. It's usual that a man is thinking about a family around our age. You're a bit older than most boys who start one, not to say anything." He grinned and patted Kori on the back.

"I don't really quite know. I have thought about it a couple times, but I'm a bit more pickier than most. The last time I had a relationship, she expected everything so early in our lives. When I was drafted for the siege, she rudely departed me by saying I wasn't worth the time anyways." Kori said.

His friend chuckled,"You were talking about Lara?"

"Yes, I was."

Korici's friend snorted and began to laugh just a bit,"She was always so impatient. I was glad when I heard she was moving to Tarry Town." Korici grinned and simply nodded, but watched his other soldier dance in a stern and serious look. Korici, regardless of something good or bad happening to him, always had a stern look on his face. He expressed emotion only when it was seriously necessary of him. Many described him as 'Stonewall Kori' for his serious face and attitude.

Another hour or so passed before the festival began to die down just a little bit. For the majority of the time spent, the soldiers just hung around with their family members, people and each other while the night went on. It was only late in the night when the festival began to die down for the day and get its rest before reviving the early morning tomorrow. People had fallen asleep, were too drunk to move or simply went to bed like regular people. The soldiers who had been working on the wall paused for a moment, until early in the morning a small group of cavalry came riding in at the earliest of morning.

Korici had been awoken by the sound of footsteps in the field of the early morning. He blinked, briefly squinting to look up and see who it was above him. It was too dark to see anything because the sun had not risen yet, but the only light he could see was coming from the two same glowing eyes he saw over the peaks of the mountains. His eyes widened as fear woke him up, encouraging him to grab his sword and attack. As his hand reached over, he grabbed his handle and crawled back and away while dragging the sword out of the scabbard. The figure appeared to be purely dark, only the eyes noticeable with a faint dry color and wooden mask surrounding the menacing yellow glow of the eyes. A surge of energy sparked as the eyes stared at Korici's.

"You are afraid, aren't you?"

"No, no I'm not afraid of you. I don't know you, but I do." Korici, visibly shaking, held his sword out and got into a defensive stance.

"Yes, I feel it. Come to the Rito Village. I will wait for you."

While this strange, menacing voice spoke in a cold and deep tone, a few people were running over to Korici waving and shouting. Korici shook his head, before raising his sword for a dangerous strike. Korici expected to hit flesh, but instead hit metal. As the sword went through the person, the blade that went through cut open a devilishly black fog. The mysterious stranger had suddenly collapsed into a fog and disappeared into the mist. In front of Korici, he had hit the shield of another soldier. It was a Rito holding a torch,"Get a grip soldier!"

The rito was a tall and beefy one, like his father's beefiness. His feathers were a mix of black, royal blue and white, a yellow banner stretching across his chest. Korici, confused and frightened, moved back and stared at the rito. "Korici!" A soldier approached and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Relax! It's just Nara. Take a deep breath!" His friend encouraged. Korici, lowering his sword, sheathed it and looked at his friend. "H-How did you not see the figure standing in front of me?" Korici shook. The soldier said,"You struck Nara."

Korici, confused and frightened, trembled. "You look like you've seen a ghost! Am I that menacing?" The rito boasted and laughed, until his laugh went away when Korici would not ease up. "Lets get this man some warm water and his horse. We cannot delay much longer." Nara said and tossed his hylian shield to a fellow soldier. The soldier caught it, rushing back to the herd of horses and strapping it on to the side by the saddle. Korici's friend put his arms around him and rushed him over to his horse. A very chilly breeze swept through the pitch black village as a blanket had been thrown over Korici. He had been given a cup of water while he was being placed on his horse.

After taking a few sips, he glanced around to see the soldiers who arrived with Nara give him a crazy look. One even said,"We'll be keeping an eye on you the next time you do that, farm boy." He still remained confused and frightened but stared and took a sip of water. After a few minutes of men gathering their supplies, Korici realized that someone had been kind enough to pack everything he was bringing with him and wanted to thank them but could not. With his blanket wrapped around his neck and chest like a big scarf, Korici grabbed the reigns of his horse and tossed the cup to a woman who had been saying her goodbyes to a soldier. The men began to slowly move on, only moments later to begin a spectacular gallop together.

Korici, glancing back at his home for a final time, stared before looking forward and quietly mourning the loss of his perfect life that which was broken apart by the demands and calls to battle. As he and the large group of soldiers rode on, the sun began to peak over the horizon, lighting up the world with its daily appearance. Korici, determined and desperate to understand what was going on, stared ahead at the path while the men rode on and kept it all to himself.


	4. Chapter 4

The platoon of soldiers galloped across the fields of Hyrule like there was no time to waste. They pushed their horses to the best of their ability and got occasional breaks, covering ground in a swift manner in the process of it though. While the galloping went on, it seemed like it was longer than what it actually was. No matter if one or two men were a bit slow, they managed to catch up and remained on the race to Tabantha. Korici was better, continuing to ponder what they were up against and why they were out in the open like this. These questions continued to bother him, so he figured he'd have a conversation with Nara about this.

When they were on a quick break, it was around noon by the time the men were gathering water and eating hunt they caught during their previous breaks. Korici managed to catch Nara and salute before saying,"Sir."

Nara had eaten a snack, a bug that was similar to a caterpillar before facing him and saluting. "What's the status, soldier?" He asked with part of his mouth full.

"Who declared war on who first? Was there a break in an alliance?" Korici asked.

"The Ritos have declared themselves neutral and have denied any diplomats to political meetings. Days later, when the attack on the Tabantha Tower happened, the Rito declared war on the Hylians and Gerudo." Nara explained and chewed on another bug.

"If the Rito declared war on us, why aren't you with them?"

Nara cleared his throat before stating,"I'm convinced that this is a big misunderstanding. Us Rito have been known to be stubborn and isolated, so I figure that it was probably an accident or that it's the Yiga Clan attempting to trick us. The situation has escalated and I intend on solving it for my own people. If what the captain says about hylian soldiers and gerudo is true, then there may be a revolt or a Yiga Ambush."

Korici grew confused, thinking about how the situation went down. He imagined an outpost, obviously Ritos stationed, being overrun by Gerudo and Hylians. It didn't quite make any sense. "Captain Nara, if I may." Korici said. Nara simply nodded.

"Are there any recent stations or posts which have been under attack, or have checked the outpost as well?" Korici asked.

"There has not been any reports from nearby outposts, but now that I think about it, we haven't received any news from our highland Karusa look out." Nara scratched his feathers underneath his beak.

Korici nodded,"Perhaps something has happened there as well?"

"It's likely something happened there too, but I won't be sending a squadron until the issue with Tabantha is resolved. Again, I only suspect it's a large misunderstanding."

The word 'misunderstanding' clicked with Korici before he nodded and went back to his own horse. While he was feeding his horse an apple, he glanced back to notice a couple soldiers staring at him. When they noticed that he was looking back at them, they went about their business of resupplying before climbing back on their horses to prep for the next run. Korici looked to his horse, calmly eating away at the apple before being finished. Korici grinned, watching his animal companion and stroked its mane, even a little bit above its muzzle a little bit. It was calming and gentle to him, something he enjoyed a little bit.

Now that the discussion with Nara and the break was over, the hylian platoon was back on the road again. They happened to have passed by a ranch during their trip, reaching the large bridge that stretched between a giant valley. One by one in a line, soldier by soldier went across the bridge while citizens from the ranch watched their track. Korici occasionally looked below, in the valley, but would stay tall and straight ahead at the soldier in front of him. He blinked, continuing onward. The group awaited for the slowest to follow before moving on in a pack together once more. Before they went on, Nara stopped his horse and turned back. He withdrew his bow and held it up in the air before shouting,"As of right now, you all are in dangerous territory. Withdraw any weapon you seem appropriate and stay alert!" With the order, men withdrew their swords and weapons.

Korici remained alert, but did not withdraw his broadsword. He simply carried his shield with his arm on his right side and continued to gallop along. The group now moved at the same speed they usually did, some swordsman switching to bows while others stayed on the defensive. "Defensive position!" A soldier shouted. One by one, soldiers switched places until swordsmen were on the outside of a long line while the archers were on the inside. Korici was on the outside, near the front right behind the captain. The usual small talk and laughter was at an all time low while they galloped through Tabantha, through the slopes and rocky hills which stretched far beyond. The sun had dominated the sky, shining down on the Tabantha rocks and tower.

The soldiers had now arrived in the narrow path leading to the outpost which had been under attack, all of them staying in their position. Nara had motioned to push onward, the group bolting through the valley and arrived in a silent but loud gallop. Korici had withdrawn his broadsword now, keeping his horse at a halt and colliding with his squadrons. "Hateno and Lurelin." Nara had hissed and motioned both groups to get off their horses and scout ahead. Korici hopped off his horse, his buddies following as they all adjusted their helmets and swiftly moved in.

As the two groups moved in with their weapons at the ready, they discovered the smoke that had risen in the air around the corner. Now standing right outside of the outpost, the outpost had looked like a disaster. Everywhere, the dead bodies of the hylians, gerudo and rito were laying down in positions which were very questionable. The group pushed onward, glancing at bodies occasionally but forcing through the pain of their fallen comrades. When they reached the front gates which had been collapsed and burnt, the buildings and tents of soldiers were still charred and had fallen into ashes. Off in the distance, a single Rito soldier which was still conscious huddled next to some rubble and didn't look that convincing to be dead. He was crouched down, staring at the gate and quivering with a bow in his hand. When he spotted the two groups coming in at a rather quick speed, he did not move until they got close.

Korici and two others of his squad came close, holding their shields up. The rito shouted,"Take another step and this arrow is going between your eyes, hylian scum!" His voice was verbally shaking and hoarse. He twitched while his hands shook with the bow in them, making Korici think he was scared. "I promise we're not here to hurt you or any other survivors, but get you out of here." Korici shouted back.

"How do I know you're not going to enslave me and make me work to repair Hyrule Citadel?" He shouted back, shivering.

"We're here to help! We're the backup!" Another soldier shouted. "Backup of the enemy! Are you the ones that killed Cita and Bitt? They made a ran for it two hours ago!" The rito asked.

Korici darted a look at the soldier before saying,"We haven't stumbled across any Rito on the way over here! Are you hurt?"

The rito shook his head,"I may have a bruised leg, but I'm fine!"

"Get this man bandaged up!" A soldier ordered to a couple others. They both sheathed their blades and pulled out some bandages and a health kit, gently creeping over toward him. "Are there any threats or hylians in the village?" Korici asked in a calmer voice. The rito shook his head,"I'm the last one."

When the soldiers brought the rito out of the outpost, the group had now stayed together and was surveying the area and the nearby forests. "Can you give us your name?" Nara asked the rito. The rito looked up at him and said,"Sebeth." That name rang in Nara's mind before he said,"Sebeth, it's me! It's Nara!" Sebeth's eyes widened and twitched before he reached out and hugged him, Rito to Rito. "Nara! Nothing has gone well for us ever since the first attack! The village elder has gone mad and nobody has sent reinforcements to the outpost. The scouts I sent out aren't back and I'm just.." The rito had been visibly shaking. Nara said,"Before you go on, this is my hylian battalion. Sebeth nodded, but then closed his eyes. "You all won't get very far. Hundreds of rito were stationed here, but now they've all retreated to the tower. You all will be killed or imprisoned if you venture toward the Rito Village." Sebeth exclaimed.

"Why did you choose to stay here if nobody is coming back, Sebeth?" Nara asked. Korici had watched while they were in a group, holding his shield by his side but removed his helmet while watching. Korici observed the rito, visibly shaken. His beak quivered before he replied,"I cannot leave here. I am bonded to this place."

Nara grew confused,"What happened?"

Sebeth looked down at the grass and rocked back and forth, his eyes widened and shaking. "The first attack started when a storm blew in. I was on the late night watch and discovered some movement in the forest, near the path toward the highlands. There were gerudo soldiers who were running toward our direction, screaming and shouting with their spears in the air. Some of the watch thought it was an attack, so they insisted on defending and counter attacking before they could strike. The tone in their shouts was out of fear, and with such a smaller amount running I thought something was wrong."

The start of the story drew Korici in, causing him to lean in and observe what Sebeth was going on about. It sounded important to him.

"Coming from the forest was a mix of gerudo and hylians alike. They looked as if they had various broken limbs and limped while others walked like normal. Ranging based off of the light coming from distant lightning, they were not in any formation. They were just throwing themselves forward and moved as fast as they could. When the gerudo arrived, our platoon at the gate urged them to surrender their weapons, which they denied to. When our soldiers attacked, it was when I knew we had made a mistake. Those shambling and limping behind them began to lunge themselves at our men and the gerudo who were under attack and began to wrestle them down and bite them. I could recall hearing the screams and caws through the rain while this happened."

Nara blinked,"So you're telling me you were under attack by crazed cannibals?"

"The only evidence to prove they weren't just crazed cannibals was the enemy themselves. When a rito had rushed into our outpost with one on his back, we stabbed it to death. It was a man, like any hylian, except parts of flesh were decaying and that its eyes glowed a bright yellow. It was hard to kill, until someone smashed its face in with a hammer." Sebeth closed his eyes and shook in fear.

"You were attacked by the living dead? Perhaps it was the work of witchcraft? The Yiga could have-"

"It wasn't the Yiga Clan! It had to be something else, I know it!"

"Yes, so witchcraft." Korici piped up.

Sebeth and Nara looked at him, and then the group huddled around did also. "The only people I know what are closest to witchcraft is perhaps the Kakariko. There is a family of mages who live isolated there among their fellow sheikah." Korici responded to himself.

"Are you saying that the sheikah might be involved in this?"

Korici shook his head and simply shrugged,"I'm not so entirely sure about that. That's the only source I know what would involve magic, dark magic." Korici didn't quite know that much about magic, although a certain detail caught his eye.

As they listened on for awhile, Sebeth went on to explain that those who were killed had disappeared over night and would return as freshly dead. None of it made any sense to anybody, while they called it magic and witchcraft.

"Why haven't you burned the bodies of those around here yet?" Nara asked.

Sebeth gave his rito brother a look of sympathy and remained quiet, implying an obvious answer.

"Who told you to stay here and send your only two allies to die out in the wilderness?" Nara asked. Still, he did not receive a response from Sebeth.

While this interrogation planned out, Korici leaned against the mountain wall and glanced down at the ground, thinking about the stained yellow eyes which haunted him.


	5. Chapter 5

Korici had spent part of the evening watching the others do their duties while he was on break. While he was eating hunt, he had caught from before, he watched as the men grabbed torches and began to light up the ruins and their campsite which was settled next to the ruins of the Tabantha Tower. His bag full of supplies was sitting right next to him, taken off since he was off duty. As he reached inside his bag, he pulled out a journal, including some ink for writing and got started on writing within his journal. It was day three since their arrival at the outpost and had sent a messenger to get reinforcements to support their stance between the cursed forests and the enraged forces of the Rito. He began writing about his experiences throughout the day: what he saw, what he thought about and what was to come for him. To the other page of his writing on day three, he left it blank. There was a boarder for a portrait drawing, which he would save for later.

As he finished discussing about his day, he let his book sit out for a moment to dry up before putting away his supplies and hunched over. His hands hugged each other romantically while he intently stared at the pile of bodies which were being burnt in front of him. A soldier tossed a torch in, and like that the bodies of loved ones which ruthlessly fought each other were burnt. Korici was startled. He was startled because not of the fact that they were people being burnt, but that they were people who had families and friends who cared about them. It made him wonder if something happened to him, if anybody in Hateno would miss him. He could only think of his father, even then who focused and cared for farming and making an impression in Hateno.

"Hey, Korici, are you feeling well?"

A familiar voice rang in his ears before he turned around to quickly glance up. At first, it sounded like a feminine voice which echoed in his head, but then he noticed it was Nara standing tall and attentive. Korici, slightly confused but also alert, blinked.

"You're allowed to speak your mind. I've asked the others the same thing." Nara sat down next to Korici and looked down at him. Korici, a bit shy at first, reached over to grab a hair tie and proceeded to tie his silky and chocolate hair into a bun. "I feel like I'm going through a lot and I don't know how to handle it."

Nara's attentive face turned to a friendly and supportive one, "How so?"

"If I'll be honest, like you ordered, I didn't want to be drafted in the first place. I wanted to stay home in Hateno and farm until I grew old. I thought our campaign on retaking Hyrule was over and that things could be like before the calamity."

"Although the calamity is over, there is still something that needs to be done about a few old enemies. There are many others who feel the same way you do, Korici. Remember that." Nara patted Kori on the shoulder.

"Another thing is that a few…strange things have been happening to me lately too. When I had stricken you, and I didn't mean to strike you personally, I saw someone else instead of you. You all called me delusional, but I was scared." Korici said.

"Who did you see?"

"I saw a shadow in a mask, also like how I saw it before we left. It just started at me in the mountains in the moonlight and then disappeared. It told me that it would be waiting for me here." Korici said.

"I don't know much about strange occurrences like that, even if I have experienced a lot in my life. Perhaps it is something you should reason with rather than fight it; understand why it's connected to you instead of attempting to harm it." Nara reasoned.

"I don't know how to describe it, but it makes me feel scared and alone. It's like an ominous force that is unstoppable. I feel like it's involved in this situation."

"It was at the outpost?"

"Perhaps I've said too much."

"If you're feeling upset about it, then you have to confront it yourself. If you do not want to discuss about it anymore, I understand, but you must face it. You have to understand why it wants _you_." Nara poked Korici when he emphasized 'you' to him. Korici nodded as a response and looked up at Nara.

"I'm sure you have good intentions with anybody who would happen to cross your path. You seem like it. It's just that you're scared, like a few others." Nara said.

As he had said that, it appeared to be that it was nighttime. The moon had risen just barely above the sky, and the fire from the pile of bodies and from inside the outpost had lit up most of the area. Nara had his torch with him, although it was not that much of light source in the evening. "You should get some rest soon before your shift begins. Maybe some sleep will get your mind off things." Nara said and stood up. Korici nodded, "I will." When Nara began to casually walk back into the outpost, Korici looked down at his boots and made a sign in relief. He felt a bit rested from easing his emotions about it, although he could say so much more. When he had looked back up at the fire, he noticed that no soldiers were near it this time.

As he intently stared at the fire, his eyes widened as he swiftly stood up and withdrew his broadsword from its scabbard yet again. On top of the corpses, a burnt and wrinkled corpse had sat up. It was sitting on a few other corpses, staring right at Kori. It did not move, but simply stared emotionless. It was burnt to a point where there were no visible emotions, but it was close to reaching the bone. The corpse had suddenly crackled and shifted its arms to grab the corpses underneath and turn its entire body. The way it moved was between pauses. An arm moved once, then the other, then it shifted, but stopped. As it stared at Korici, he thought about grabbing his shield, but suddenly would recall what Nara said and did not think about getting a shield. "I am not afraid." Korici said and took deep breaths.

As he said that, the corpse bent its legs which dangled over the pile and lunged itself right out of the flames. The corpse was a hylian, similarly built to Korici. As it spread out on the ground, it began to shift back up and climb to stand on its two, flimsy legs. The corpse tilted its head, its eye sockets staring into Korici as Korici waited for it to strike. When it suddenly took its first step, an arrow from out of nowhere went right through the head of the burning corpse. From on top of one of the burning towers was a Hateno soldier, slowly lowering their bow and staring right at the thing. It collapsed, the grass underneath and around it erupting in flames. "What in Hylia's name is that thing?!" The soldier shouted from atop. Korici looked over and shouted, "I don't know! Get a squadron!" While the soldier from atop turned to the side and began to rush into the outpost to get some help, Korici continued to stare at the burning corpse. It was now motionless, for sure. It was only then Korici realized something everybody didn't realize.

While a few men were beginning to rush out, Korici continued to stare at the pile of bodies. One by one, corpse after corpse, the forty or fifty which were burning slowly began climbing off each other and standing up. They were all staring at Korici, their only movement getting up and looking around. One began to crawl toward Korici as his eyes widened. The hylian, now confused and frightened, picked up his shield and would begin to approach the crawling corpse. "Stay dead!" He shouted and buried the edge of his blade through the head of the corpse. Looking back over at the rest, Korici began to hack away at one until a squadron began doing the same. One by one, corpse after corpse, their burnt bodies surrounded the firepit which they were burnt in.

Nara had come running outside, looking around in a surprised confusion and watched as the last corpse had been struck down by a soldier. It was then that all of the soldiers began to wake up, put on their armor or simply run outside with weapons in their hands to see what was going on. "What happened Korici?" A soldier asked. The soldier from the watch tower said, "The corpse with the arrow in its head suddenly began climbing out of the pile right toward Korici. I don't know why or how, but it was quickly taken down. Is this what Sebeth meant by the dead rising?" The other soldiers looked at each other like they were confused, Korici standing there.

A soldier suddenly stared out behind Korici, his lower lip quivering as a shaky finger pointed outward. Korici's eyes darted over to the soldier, and then turned behind him. There happened to be several people shambling toward them yet again, except this time it was a significant amount. They were all in a line, shoulder by shoulder, regardless of size or shape of the corpse. All of the soldiers trembled as they broke and began shuffling or walking toward them. Korici suddenly looked over at the shoulders, but then to the man from the tower. He held his shield up, his buddy replying by smacking it with his blade and raising it up high. Korici raised his sword up high at the same time, looking toward the corpses.

The two suddenly began charging together, unafraid of what was to come. The rest of the soldiers then followed behind them as the few archers began to fire and attack from a distance. "Look out from above!" A familiar voice shouted. Three streaks of light flew the sky, reaching in front of Korici and his partner. They struck the ground, three explosions going off that erupted the grass and forest in flames. They both moved back and began to clash with the corpses which were in front of them. Another three lights struck the opposite end of the forest, leading to the outpost, and erupted in flames. There was now a barrier of flame between the undead army and the hylians.

At first, a few soldiers went defensive and began to pick them off through the flame. A few mindless shuffled right through the flames but then collapsed into the ground and had burnt out. Nara and several archers from within the walls began to rain arrows down in the flaming forest, attempting to shorten numbers of the corpses. When the men in front had gathered their supplies and extra weapons, Korici kept his broadsword and shield by his side and prepared himself for any more burning corpses. After a couple minutes of waiting, the corpses from behind the fiery walls began to walk over and collapse on themselves. One by one, the bodies were burning out but took the flames with them. Various openings in the flames opened up, causing the rest of the dead to walk right over those who died and toward the soldiers. Korici, startled by this, shook his head and remained in a defensive position until one came close.

Then, the first blow of a sword and a corpse began the fight. The dead began to slowly gather up in numbers and surround the soldiers while climbing over the corpses of those which sacrificed their lives. "Go for the head!" A soldier shouted and kicked a shuffling dead down, chopping its head off from its body. The soldiers struggled to keep the dead from pushing onward, but did their best by lodging halberds, swords and axes into their heads or decapitating them. Korici did the same, knocking them down and cutting off their heads or stabbing them. This went on for several more moments before another large wave of the dead came breaking in. They were mostly Rito, mixed with some Gerudo and hylians. They were shuffling through, some occasional moans or noises coming from them causing soldiers to become more frightened. The soldiers were only able to be pushed back and could get a few jabs or singular kills in before it was no longer safe to be fighting. The first couple of soldiers were surrounded and got mauled right in front of their comrades. Their flesh and organs had been bitten and ripped apart, consumed by the walking dead. Korici had chopped one down, recalling that their eyes glowed a bright yellow.

Korici huffed, bashing some onto the ground with his shield and killing those that were crawling toward him. He tried his best to keep them back but felt helpless. The more he waited and less he killed, the more that appeared through the endless hordes of the dead. "We must retreat! We cannot defeat them all!" A soldier shouted and chopped one to pieces before huffing and leaning against a tree to rest before pushing a corpse down and stabbing it. Finally, the last three streaks of the bomb arrows were sent. They struck in the middle of the corpses, from the edge of the forest again and had the bodies erupt in flames. The corpses which were separated from the horde had spread out, the ratio being four to one per soldier. Soldiers stayed side by side, hacking them down one by one with every clean sweep they could get until they were covered in cold and thick blood.

More corpses continued to pile on top of each other until there was a wall of dead and burnt corpses. As a soldier rushed toward the flaming wall to knock them off, he paused. A blade emerged from the flames and cut the soldier's throat open. He spun around, gagging and covering his throat before pointing behind him and suddenly collapsed due to lack of air. A conscious character climbed over the bodies and had landed on the ground, surveying the area. Through the flames, a figure with a long katana happened to be surveying the area and was immune to the affects of the attention to the walking dead. It looked like a Yiga Clan Member, except it wore a wooden mask. The mask happened to have been shaped in the form of a heart, spikes with different colors surrounding it and eyes with no nose or mouth that glowed. It was the same mask Korici had seen in his hallucination. It looked at all of the soldiers before looking at Korici. The figure stared, the flames emerging higher in the leaves of the trees before it raised its katana to point exactly at the hylian.

Korici, intimidated but also antagonized, raised his sword and got into a defensive stance. While every other soldier had been fed up with cutting down more dead as they breached the flames, Korici was left alone with the man in the mask. His eyes glistened the same ominous yellow and then moved in for an attack. Korici made a successful parry, alerting a couple soldiers when they heard the colliding of sword against sword. Nara, concerned for who this mysterious person was, threw aside his bow and soared down, withdrawing a halberd. A couple soldiers followed as well, leaving the dead to mindlessly shuffle after them in the process.

Three more strikes came, hitting sword and shield while Korici managed to easily parry or block them with his sword and shield. When Nara rushed in to assist his ally, the man in the mask made a surprising blow. His upsweep was so powerful, it scraped against Kori's shield and pushed him far away with the help of a strange strength surge. Korici had been shaken to the core as he was barely able to stand up, only to watch the dead surround his allies and to see Nara fighting with an enemy he needed to fight. Korici had barely managed to climb up but watch the combat commence.

The other two soldiers who had joined in were surrounded by the dead, managing to knock them down and get a few kills but remained stabilized. As for Nara, the flames had roared as he ruthlessly fought off this mysterious foe.

The foe had made an upper hand, swiping repetitively at a weak spot in Nara's halberd until it broke. The blade swiped through, shattering the wood. Finally, the man in the mask had made a surprising pierce right into Nara's chest. It went through his leather armor, a bird screech echoing throughout the night. The blade was then pulled out and dragged right across the chest, causing Nara to fall back and hold his wound before collapsing.

While the combat had been going on, a couple of soldiers had rallied up a group of horses for the group to get away. Korici was in total shock, staring at Nara who was shuffling toward the horses and then collapsed. The two soldiers, outraged by the attack on their captain, screamed heroically and struck the man in the mask. Two swords went right through the masked man, causing him to climb down and go on his knees. When they pulled out their swords from him, one kicked the man in the face to keep him down and retreated before the dead could get another bite. One soldier scurried to scoop up the captain, Korici climbing up and over to help the rito up.

Korici was shaking, keeping his shield on his back and his sword sheathed. As he was helping the rito up onto a horse, Korici swiftly rushed over and picked up his backpack. As he threw it around his back, he climbed onto his own horse which had the captain on it and encouraged the others to retreat. About nine soldiers and Sebeth were present with Korici when they all had gathered their horses up. As the undead had taken control of the outpost and the area around it, the eleven riders rode together in the dark night and back up the path. Several soldiers were still panicking in fear while riding off. "We need to get away as far as possible!" A soldier shouted. Sebeth called out, "It is okay if go to the Rito Village! There is some help I can get from there, as long as we stay clear of the soldiers at the Tabantha Tower!"

While the soldiers pushed onward, Korici's head spun as he looked down at the fallen Captain. While he was on his horse, he picked up some bandages and began to clean and aid the captain while managing to stay on the horse. Korici's mind raced around one question alone: Who was the man in the mask?


End file.
